Brighteyes' Path
Prologue Brighteyes took a ragged breath as she let out a fit of coughing. Being the only elder, lonelieness struck at her heart again, and watching the small autumn leaves fall while she sat in the roomy elder's den was the only company for this she-cat. A couple of kits, Moonkit and Dovekit, strangled the falling leaves. Moonkit was a fluffy white she-kit with silver eyes as big as the moon! Brighteyes purred and lowered her head to her paws, but hunger stung at her. Dovekit was a gray she-kit with one blue eye, one green eye. Brighteyes smiled and let out a silent sigh before nosing the vole Mistpaw had caught her earlier towards herself. Brighteyes started to eat, the hunger starting to fade away. She watched Firepaw mew nervously to Mistpaw, and, of course, Mistpaw seemed not to notice he was nervous, so she nodded and padded away to talk to Tigerpaw. Firepaw flattened his ears slowly and slumped away, looking sad. But then Mistpaw ran over to him and gave him a quick lick on the ear. Brighteyes let out a mrreow of amusement as the clumsy ginger tom blushed harder than a fresh deathberry! Dovekit stuck her tongue out in disgust, her actions being followed by her sister, Moonkit. Something suddenly crept into the den. "Brighteyes?" The delicate mew of Softstream whistled in the wind. "Yes?" Brighteyes rasped. Softstream was a beautiful white she-cat with pale gray tabby spots and very light green eyes. Her coat always seemed fluffed up, and this medicine cat was a good friend of Brighteyes. "How are you?" Softstream asked, tail softly brushing the ground. "I'm good. How are you?" Brighteyes replied. "Good. Need your moss changed?" Softstream purred. "The kits seem to need to be entertained, and if they annoy me one ''more time, I'll tell them to change your moss for a moon!" Brighteyes let out another amused purr. "The perfect punishment. And, no, I don't." She yawned and rested her head on her paws. Softstream dipped her head. "Okay." She started to pad out of the den, but only paused to turn her head, whispering. "Sweet dreams." When Brighteyes opened her eyes, everything was pitch black. She blinked, but she couldn't see. When she finally realized it was time for her to die, Brighteyes felt her life ''flash ''before her eyes. Allegiances 'ThunderClan' Leader - '''Silentstar '- A silver tabby she-cat with green eyes and a sleek pelt. Deputy - Redspots '- A ginger tom with darker patches and even darker smudges and green eyes. Warriors 'Lionstrike '- A golden tom with amber eyes and a ragged tail. 'Mistybreeze '- A dark gray she-cat with lighter stripes and chin and blue eyes. 'Goldenstream '- A golden tabby she-cat with white paws, muzzle, chest, underbelly, and tail-tip and sandy-colored eyes. 'Cedarstep '- A black tom with dark gray toes and dark green eyes. 'Dustleaf '- A light brown tabby she-cat with light bluish-green eyes. Apprentice: Bramblepaw 'Wavefur '- A gray tabby tom with dark blue eyes. 'Dawnstripe '- A pale golden she-cat with dark golden stripes and paws and amber eyes. 'Duskpelt '- A brown tabby tom with lighter stripes and amber eyes. Apprentice: Smokepaw Apprentices 'Smokepaw '- A pale-ish gray tom with pale silver eyes. Mentor: Duskpelt 'Bramblepaw '- A dark brown tabby tom with hazel eyes. Mentor: Dustleaf Queens and Kits 'Roseflower '- A ginger and white she-cat with green eyes. Kits: '''Brightkit '- A ginger/orange she-kit with a white chest and toes - lime/green eyes. 'Cinderfall '- A gray tortoishell she-cat with light blue eyes. Mate: Redspots. Kits: 'Flamekit '- A dark ginger tabby tom with light amber eyes. 'Honeykit '- A classic golden tabby she-cat with pale blue eyes. 'Russetkit '- A russet red-ish she-kit tabby with dark amber eyes. Chapter 1 "She's not opening her eyes." "Does it look like I care?" "She's your kit." "I don't mean it like that!" "Then what do you mean, Roseflower?" Cinderfall, a gray tortoishell she-cat, sat in a bed of moss beside a ginger and white she-cat who had green eyes, and that she-cat was Roseflower. Roseflower had only one kit suckling at her belly, while Cinderfall had three. Another queen, who was off to the right of Cinderfall, had two kits. This ''queen was a gray she-cat with darker paws and amber eyes. "Have you named them yet?" The shy, gray she-cat asked, her voice as tender as the roses that fell at times. "Her, you mean." Roseflower spat, her temper getting the best of her. "Y-Yeah." The gray she-cat whimpered. "Well, this one could be called..." Roseflower paused. "Brightkit?" "I think that's a great name." Cinderfall purred, wrapping her tail around the two remaining kits with her tail. "''My ''kits are Russetkit, Flamekit, and Honeykit." Immediately, almost to the sound of her mother saying her name, Honeykit let out a mew ''so ''soft you could imagine actual honey meowing that! "Mine are Stormkit and Flowerkit..." The shy gray queen whispered, cuddling against her two kits. Stormkit was a gray tom-kit with smooth fur, while Flowerkit was a pale ginger tabby she-kit with white toes and a white muzzle. Flamekit yawned and stood up, his ginger fur rippling in the wind. "Flamekit, you are so good at walking!" Cinderfall purred. Flamekit opened his electric green eyes and shot his mother an annoyed glance before smoothing down his fur. "Well, actually, I am!" Flamekit purred. He was a moon older than the other gray queen's kits and Roseflower's ''kit. Honeykit opened one eye and slowly got to her paws before leaping on Flamekit. "I am best kit, you idiot!" She spat, biting his ear. Flamekit reared up and kicked his arrogant sister off with ease, only to be attacked by Russetkit. "Would you shut up?!" Russetkit hissed, pinning down her brother. Honeykit leaped out of nowhere and tackled Russetkit, knocking her strait off her paws. Russetkit snarled and kicked Honeykit off, sending her into Cinderfall's back legs. Cinderfall gently kicked her to help her get up and leap at Flamekit, who was stalking Russetkit. Russetkit was pretending not to notice. Flamekit leaped, but Honeykit caught him in midair and started to swipe at him decently. Cinderfall leaned her head over to Roseflower. "All my kits look like their father, but they have my attitude." She purred. "I can tell." Roseflower muttered. "What?" "Nothing." "Better be nothing." The shy queen cleared her throat. "Why are you all so...so hostile?" "Why are you so ''shy, ''Willowstream?" Cinderfall spat, flashing her tail. Honeykit caught sight of the moving fur and leaped at it. Willowstream looked at her paws, not responding. Flamekit growled and pounced on a dappled gray tom who had just padded into the den. Smokepaw, the dappled gray tom, gave a small laugh and shook the arrogant tom-kit off. Flamekit snarled and bounced again, this time sinking his claws into the apprentice's paw. Smokepaw yelped and jerked his paw up in response, sending Flamekit into a small rock in the nursury. "M-My kit!" Cinderfall yelped. She sprang to her paws and nearly kicked Willowstream in the face in the process. She ran over to Flamekit, who lay right outside of the nursury. Cinderfall layed down beside him and cuddled the ginger kit with her paws. "My precious little Flameykit...Are you okay?" She asked urgently. Flamekit let out a fake moan. "H-He hurt me! Smokepaw did it on purpose! He was just pretending..." Flamekit spat, the lies in his voice clearer than ice. "Why you..." Cinderfall stood up gently and took a deep breath. She lifted a paw, un-sheathed it, then slapped it across Smokepaw's face, leaving three deep red marks in his cheek. Smokepaw stumbled backwards, tears starting to roll down his face. "Mommy-" "You aren't my son!" Cinderfall snarled, her teeth bared. "You will never be my son! I can't even ''believe ''that you hurt my precious little Flameykit!" She turned around and kicked mud into Smokepaw's face, caking it with dirt. Smokepaw trembled before he stood up and ran out of camp sobbing. "CINDERFALL!" Roseflower got up abruptly and marched up to the gray she-cat. "What's the matter with you? Treating your son like that?" "Why?" Cinderfall snorted. "Got a problem with it?" "Yes, actually, I do!" Roseflowers snarled, un-sheathing her claws but not using them as weapons. "You were ALWAYS the prettiest apprentice, but you don't deserve love! You are a stuck-up brat!" "Well, Redspots sure doesn't think I'm stuck-up!" Cinderfall growled. "Actually, Cinderfall, I do think you are stuck-up." Cinderfall opened her eyes to see Redspots, a ginger tom with darker patches and even daker smudges. He had blazing green eyes. "I saw how you treated my son." He growled coldly. Cinderfall blinked. "Well then, I'm so sorry. I'll go apologize to him right now-" "No." Cinderfall stopped straight in her tracks. "It's too late to apologize. And by being stuck-up and terrible and cruel, you just lost a mate." Cinderfall turned around, looking misty eyed. "NO! Please, no. No, no, no, NO! Redspots, please-" Redspots was trudging to the leader's den, his eyes locked in a glare. And Cinderfall knew he ment it this time. Chapter 2 ''The battered bodies of cats stood around Brightkit, '''their haunting red glow of a glare burning into her fur. Brightkit shreiked and ran, but she stumbled over the dead body of Willowstream. She screamed louder, tears strating to run down her face. Brightkit turned.'' Roseflower stood there, her pupils a frosty red. Her paws were stained red and her muzzle was brushed with blood. Brightkit sobbed and screamed at the same time and tried to get away, but her mother caught her with a paw. She tried to scramble away as she kicked Roseflower's face. She suceeded, but tumbled into Stormkit. "You killed my family!" He snarled. "YoU kIlLeD mY fAmIlY..." His mew suddenly turned into a freaky tone, causing Brightkit to cover her head with her paws and sob as his face echoed through her mind. She peeked through her paws to see a scary large smile on his face. Brightkit screamed as the world flashed white. "Brightkit?" A strike of thunder hit outside as Brightkit opened her eys. Only a nightmare. ''She reassured herself. Sleepily, she looked to the right to see that her mother was snoring softly. The shadows of the night and the rain crashing down made the poor ginger she-kit uncomfortable. Brightkit was a ginger she-kit with white toesand chest, along with bright green eyes. Stifling a sob, Brightkit snuggled deeper into her mother's fur, being afraid of the dark like almost any other kit. "Brightkit?" Brightkit's eyes snapped open and she realized that Flowerkit was standing in front of her, Flowerkit's pale ginger tabby pelt flashing in the night. Brightkit sniffled. "Y-Yes?" "Are you okay? You squealed in your dream." "Yes..." "Tell me the truth." Brightkit winced and sniffed again. "...No." Flowerkit smiled a small smile and cuddled up beside Brightkit. "Here, I'll keep you warm and keep you company." "Brightkit, wake up." Brightkit opened her eyes to see her mother's fur in her face. She sneezed and moaned tiredly. She tried to cuddle closer, wanting all the warmth she could get. That's when she realized it was sunny, and she felt very hot. Brightkit yawned and stood up. "How are you?" Roseflower purred. "I'm good." Brightkit answered. She looked over her shoulder to see Flamekit, Russetkit, and Honeyit attacking each other playfully. "Go ahead." Roseflower meowed, as if she could read Brightkit's mind. "Go play with them." Brightkit smiled and leaped on her mother and gave her a lick on the cheek. Roseflower purred and watched as Brightkit jumped off and landed right in front of Honeykit. "What do you want?" Flamekit demanded. His tail lashed and he had his teeth bared. "Could I play?" Brightkit asked. "No way! Why don't you go and play with your friends - oh yeah! You don't even ''have ''friends!" Flamekit spat. He almost seemed hurt. Brightkit flattened her ears against her head. "So...so...I can't play with you?" Flamekit glared at her and turned around. Brightkit frowned and with a tight throat, trudged over to her mother. "It's okay, Brightkit." Roseflower whispered, cuddling Brightkit with her tail. "They are just jelous." "Just jelous?" Brightkit sniffed. "Just jelous." "Are you sure?" "Yes." "Okay then, mommy." Chapter 3 1 moon later... Brightkit sat right outside of the nursury. It was the afternoon, and it had been a while since she had real fun. She sighed and kicked a pebble with her paw. She growled before pouncing on the rock and giving it a playful nip. Brightkit squealed and spat out the pebble. It hurt her teeth! "Are you fighting with a rock?" Honeykit's snotty mew caught her attention. Brightkit whipped around and blushed in embarrasment. "No," She denied. "I wasn't." "Yes you were." "No I wasn't!" Honeykit sighed and un-sheathed a paw, her sharp claws sliding out. She held it up to Brightkit's face. "Listen to me, you selfish piece of foxdung-" Brightkit gasped as Honeyit swore. Foxdung ''was ''a bad word for kits so say...wasn't it? "SILENTSTAR, SILENTSTAR!" Brightkit whipped around again, accidently or ''maybe ''not knocking over Honeykit in the process. Honeykit growled and got to her paws, trembling. Before any cat could mew a single thing, the scent of ShadowClan overwhelmed every cat. "ShadowClan...they are..." A black tom gasped for air, and Brightkit recognized him as Cedarstep. "INVADING!" Silentstar's piercing green eyes touched the nursury. "Roseflower and Cinderfall-" She started. "You both fight. Willowstream, you stay and protect Stormkit, Flowerkit, and Brightkit. Cinderfall, you take your kits and take them to the warriors den. You may still fight, but protect them." Cinderfall had dark circles under her eyes and she only nodded slowly. Her gaze traveled to Redspots, who was preparing for battle. "SHADOWCLAN, ATTACK!" Cinderfall quickly grabbed her kits and herded them to the warriors den. Roseflower gasped and raced towards Brightkit, who stared up at her mother with awe. "You be a good kit while I'm fighting, okay?" Roseflower panted, but she was ''still ''asking. Brightkit nodded right as she was tugged away by Willowstream. She was stuffed into a small corner of the nursury and was placed beside Stormkit. "What if we get kitnapped?" Stormkit fretted. Brightkit flattened her ears and pressed against the gray tom-kit gently, causing them both to blush softly. "Shh..." Willowstream's voice came quietly. ''Every ''kit shut their mouth then. Brightkit watched as Cedarstep leaped at a ginger tom. The ginger tom snarled and slashed his cheek, but Cedarstep knocked him down. She smiled a bit. ThunderClan ''would ''win. Well, ''probably. "I hope we will be okay..." Flowerkit whispered. Brightkit nodded her silet agreement, when a small screech was heard. "Help!" Flamekit came running into the nursury, tears in his eyes. He ran to Willowstream and ran behind her. Before any cat could ask a question, a dark gray tabby tom with bloody paws stepped into the nursury. Chapter 4 The dark tabby snickered, his amber eyes shining with happiness. He glanced at Willowstream. "Oh, a queen protecting some kits!" He sneered. "How very lovely!" The tabby took a step forwards, and, for the first time ever, Brightkit saw Willowstream leap fowards. The shy she-cat struck the tabby's head so hard, blood came gushing out immediately. "Get out!" She spat. "GET OUT!" The tabby nodded quickly and sped out of the den right as ShadowClan started to return. Brightkit peeked out to see cats panting and lots of blood. She blinked, confused. Where was her mother? "Where's mommy?" Brightkit inquired. Willowstream sighed. "She's getting her wounds cleaned." "By who?" Brightkit asked. "By Breezefeather?" "No," Willowstream muttered, but then spoke up. "Go to sleep." "But I want to see my mommy!" She whined softly. Brightkit quietly cuddled up and closed her eyes when she got no response. "You'll see her..." She heard Willowstream's voice before she fell asleep. "Someday." ... When Brightkit woke up, she heard a yowl of distress. She bolted to her paws and raced out of the nursury to see Flamekit crouched beside a sleeping Honeykit, Russetkit, and Cinderfall. He was sobbing, his teeth clencehd together. Tilting her head in confusion, Brightkit padded over to the crying tom-kit that bullied her sometimes. "Why are you crying?" Brightkit asked. "They are just sleeping!" No response. Brightkit frowned and looked around to see her mother, laying on the ground. A smile spread across her face as she sprinted across the camp until she finally got to her mother. "Oh, mommy!" Brightkit purred. She brushed against her mother strangely-cold muzzle. "I missed you so much! I'm so glad that I get to see you today! Oh wait-" She ran over to her mother's back and pressed her muzzle into the cold fur. Strange, ''Brightkit thought. ''Her fur is cold too! ''' "You're asleep!" Brightkit purred and opened her eyes, shaking her mother with both white paws. "Wake up!" She squealed. Nothing. She frowned. "Mommy, wake up!" Brightkit noticed plenty of cats' sad gazes on her. "WAKE UP!" She sobbed, now utterly confused. Brightkit turned around to face the cats of ThunderClan. The cats of her clan. "Does any cat know why my mommy won't wake up?!" Brightkit sobbed. But no answer came. She ran over to her over and ran over to her back again. She flung herself over her mother's body, hugging her with her paws. Brightkit sobbed into her mother's fur. She was alone... ...All alone... Chapter 5 Redspots let out a yowl and ran to Cinderfall. He nuzzled her gently, but she didn't move. "Cinderfall!" He shrieked. "I-I..." He paused and looked away. Smokepaw ran out of a den and ran to Cinderfall too, crying into her fur. No other cat was coming for Roseflower! "She's dead." Brightkit turned around to see Cedarstep standing there, his eyes brimming with sadness. "What does that mean?" Cedarstep sniffed and smiled, bending down to Brightkit. "It's when a cat - like us - goes to the stars and watches over us. We won't see them until we are dead. But," He meowed, seeing Brightkit flatten her ears. "If they were very, very ''important to you, they will go here." Cedarstep put a black paw with dark gray toes to her chest, right where her heart was. Brightkit stared up at the tom in awe and watched as the tom limped away. She watched as Flamekit slumped over to the nursury and sat. She padded over to him. "GO AWAY!" Flamekit snarled. Feeling numb, Brightkit limped away. She wiped a tear away with the palm of her paw. Chapter 6 It was four moons after he death of many cats. Brightkit stood stiffly. She still missed her mother more than anthing and her heart ached to think of her warm fur. It looked like it could snow any moment now. Two days after Cinderfall's death, Redspots had been found dead by the river, where he first met Cinderfall. Many cats think he had killed himself, while others thought he was attacked by a fox. Brightkit didn't know what to think. But she was pleased Cedarstep was the new deputy. She had always admired that tom. Brightkit sighed and curled up, feeling cold. She sniffed and suddenly felt a small warm scrap of fur beside her. Brightkit jolted up to see Stormkit standing beside her. She smiled as she saw his fur was fluffed up in all directions, as if he was trying to keep himself warm. "Are you a cloud or a cat?" Brightkit mewed. It was the first time she had in a while. "It's kinda hard to tell." Stormkit chuckled. "I'm a cat, you silly she-kit." Brightkit purred and blushed lightly as the tom-kit got closer. His whiskers tickled her face, giving her the slightest bit of warmth. "Where's Flower-" Flowerkit popped out of a pile of dripping wet moss. She shook her orange coat, sprinkling cold droplets of water over Stormkit and Brightkit. Stormkit flushed red in his cheeks and took a step to his side. "See? I knew you liked Bright- Hey brighty Brightkit!" Flowerkit flicked her tail-tip. "Watcha doing?" "Looking for something ''warm." Brightkit twitched her whiskers. Flowerkit sighed and looked behind her shoulder to see Silentstar and Flamekit meowing. She growled a bit. "That bratty tom gets under my nerves." Flowerkit hissed. She turned her gaze back to the two kittens in front of her. "He gets under everyone's nerves." Stormkit laughed. Suddenly, Silentstar leaped onto the highrock. She called a meeting, her silver whiskers and green eyes silent. Many cats were starting to gether around. "Did Flamekit get a thorn in his paw, so he's requesting a whole meeting?" Brightkit growled as she noticed Flamekit was already in front of everybody. Brightkit stayed where she was, Flowerkit scurrying over to the meeting. "I'll stay here." Stormkit smiled as his gaze turned on Brightkit. "With you." Brightkit felt a warm fuzzy feeling creep up on her, making her fur fluff up happily. A light layer of blush found it's way onto her cheeks. She quickly nuzzled Stormkit, causing the lightly shy tom-kit to blush. "Flamekit, you will now be known as Flamepaw. Your mentor will be me. May StarClan light your path." Silentstar called out. "Flamepaw, Flamepaw!" Flowerkit returned from the meeting with flattened ears. "It's no fair!" She pouted, planting herself into the snow firmly. Brightkit and Stormkit started to laugh, but stopped as a shadow was cast over them. "Go away, Flamepaw!" Flowerkit spat. "Nobody wants you here." "Oh, really?" Flamepaw retorted. "Ever thought that nobody wants ''you ''here?" "Shut up, Flamepaw!" Brightkit hissed in defense of pretty much her best friend. Flamepaw swiped at Brightkit, knocking her to the ground. The snow seemed to start to coat Brightkit's lungs as she struggled in the heaps of white. Flamepaw chuckled and flung himself at her, slapping her head deeper into the snow. Choking for air, Brightkit lunged upwards and bit into Flamepaw's paw, causing the ginger tom to yelp as loud as possible. Silentstar and Smokepaw ran over. "Brightkit!" Smokepaw gasped. Brightkit tilted her head. She felt a small, stinging warmth coming from her ear. She lifted a paw and touched her ear, which now had a slit in it. "Brightkit and Flamepaw!" Silentstar snapped. "You both will be cleaning the elder's den for a moon now!" "A moon?" Brightkit gasped. "Fine!" Flamepaw snarled. Brightkit shufled her paw, watching Flamepaw padding away. As soon as he was out of earshot, she opened her mouth, her ear burning from the snow that coated it. "Silentstar-" She sniffed. "I-I didn't mean to attack him-" But before she could speak, two bodies were pressing against her. "If you blame her," Flowerkit hissed. "You might as well blame the clouds!" "Yeah!" Stonekit gave a quick nod. Silentstar's gaze traveled over the kits. She looked at Smokepaw, who smiled, as if he agreed. Brightkit felt her fur with excitement as the leader let out a grumble. "Fine. But be careful, I'll be watching you closely." Chapter 7 "All cats gather around for a clan meeting!" Brightkit blinked her eyes open, the sunlight dappling her pelt. She let out a small yawn as she was almost trampled by Flowerkit. The ginger she-kit took some steps backwards. "Heh," She flattened her ears against her head in embarrassment. "Whoops." Brightkit twitched her tail. "It's fine," She assured. Category:Fan Fictions